Author: Rhys Gregory

Plans are being finalised for this year’s Christmas lights switch-on in Merthyr Tydfil featuring Santa, fireworks – and some snow…no matter what the weather! Pyrotechnic fireworks will follow the switch-on at Redhouse Cymru, which will also be attended by Santa and feature a snow machine to give the event an even more festive feel. The Christmas Family Fun Day on Saturday 19 November will also have a funfair, inflatable snow globe, reindeer, festive walkabout characters, face painting and balloon modelling. St Tydfil Shopping Centre will be hosting Santa’s Grotto. Festivities begin the day before, on Friday 18 November, with amusement…

Difficulties in recruiting HGV drivers and a rise in covid cases are still causing significant disruptions to the waste and recycling collections across the county. With a number of crew members testing positive for covid, it has resulted in more missed and delayed collections, especially in the north of the county. Cllr Jackie Charlton, Cabinet Member for a Greener Powys says: “Staff shortages and covid outbreaks are still causing major disruption to the waste and recycling collections across the county. We understand that missed or delayed collections can be very frustrating to. “We would like to thank our crews for…

The First Minister has announced the appointment of Efa Gruffudd Jones as Welsh Language Commissioner. She will take up the position in January 2023, taking over the role from the late Aled Roberts. The Commissioner has an important role to play in increasing the provision of services in Welsh and the use of the language and upholding the rights of Welsh speakers. Efa Gruffudd Jones is currently the chief executive of the National Centre for Learning Welsh. The centre is responsible for all aspects of learning Welsh from the curriculum and course development to resources for tutors, research, marketing and…

This autumn the Snowdonia National Park Authority’s Woodlands team will work with Y Dref Werdd to provide felled trees for their fuel poverty scheme. Ash dieback disease is spreading rapidly through Snowdonia and beyond, its effects evident from their bare branches in spring and summer. Ash trees at National Park Authority owned sites, Plas Tan y Bwlch and Yr Ysgwrn, have now succumbed to the disease. As some of those trees have passed the threshold of 50% of the tree affected, they require felling for safety reasons. Felled trees will be donated to the local Y Dref Werdd social enterprise,…

Moving into a new home is an exciting time of your life. However, it can also be stressful, expensive and extremely overwhelming. Shops are full of various kinds of furniture and home décor pieces. With the infinite amount of options that you have, choosing the best pieces for your new home might be challenging. To make the process easier, try to create a list of your priorities. Consider which areas will experience high traffic and if you have any children or pets. Considering the functionality can save you from many problems in the future. Here are our tips on how…

Bitcoin, the digital currency that has been making headlines lately, might not be something you have heard of before. It’s time to change that and discover why some giant companies accept bitcoin as payment. Bitcoin is a system of decentralised currency which started in 2008 and runs on a peer-to-peer network. It is not managed by any authority or central bank, and transactions are solely verified by computers in the network, which work out complex mathematical problems. If the solver to these problems is not available, the transaction will be automatically delayed. Bitcoins use encryption, based on a public-key and…

Thousands of residents, families and students are expected to watch the spectacular display over Swansea Bay on Saturday, November 5, at 7pm. For the first time, the display will be offshore on a barge in the sea, illuminating the waters of the bay as the fireworks burst in the sky. The evening kicks off at 6pm with pre-show entertainment including a fire show, glow entertainers and walkabout acts. Food vendors will also be open from 6pm. Swansea Council cabinet member Robert Francis-Davies said: “We deliver great events for the people of Swansea to enjoy – and this is a key…

Cost pressures, falling revenues and a growing reliance on debt to prop up cashflows are among the gloomy findings of the latest Small Business Index (SBI) from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB). The quarterly temperature-taking survey reveals the greatest level of pessimism among small business owners outside of lockdowns, with a net confidence score of -35.9 in Q3 2022, down 11.2 points compared to the previous quarter. Almost half (43%) reported falling revenues over the three months to October, compared to less than a third (32%) reporting an increase. Over the coming three months, four in ten (41%) expect…

Electric vehicle subscription business Voltric has opened offices in Newport ahead of a seed fundraise. Established by chief executive Julian Mensah and co-founder Brent Oldfield in Bristol in 2019, Voltric has already secured significant pre-seed investment from a syndicate of eight business angels led by lead investor Eamon Tuhami. This was matched with investment from the Wales Angel Co-Investment Fund, alongside further investment from other private investors. Now based at Tramshed Tech in Newport, Voltric took part in FinTech Wales’ inaugural Foundry – the no equity accelerator programme that provides mentorship and support to help incubate, accelerate and scale start-up…

Cardiff-based health and wellbeing provider ION Corporate Wellness has launched a range of services aimed at helping businesses create a healthier and happier workforce. Founded and managed by former Wales and Cardiff Rugby player Robin Sowden-Taylor, ION Corporate Wellness provides businesses with flexible and tailored health and wellbeing solutions to support their employees both physically and mentally. “In professional rugby, the understanding and value placed on the physical and mental preparation for the players are the foundations for performance. This should be no different in our own day to day lives as without good physical and mental health we will…